Community Corner
Shoppers Food Opens in Ellicott City: Replaces Superfresh at North Ridge Shopping Area
Ten days after the old Superfresh closes its doors, a new grocery market opens.
A new Shoppers Food supermarket opened in Ellicott City July 16, marking a quick transition from the closing earlier this month of the old Superfresh site on North Ridge Rd.
“This was a fast turnover for us. It’s only been ten days,” since the old Superfresh store closed down, said Mike Gross, the new manager at the store.
Gross was clearly pleased on opening day, as customers streamed in to the freshly cleaned and painted store. “It looks pretty good -- but we will be making some more improvements,” he said.
Shoppers Food, a Bowie-based regional chain with 55 stores in Maryland and northern Virginia, in May.
The former owner, Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A&P) entered bankruptcy late last year and since then has been selling or closing stores throughout the mid-Atlantic region. This year, , Delaware and D.C., including the Ellicott City store.
Gross, an 18-year veteran of the grocery business, said he thought the new store was off to a good start.
“All of our people have done a tremendous job getting the store ready for opening day,” he said.
In a brief tour, he proudly pointed to the fully stocked shelves, and the busy specialty departments – fresh fruits and vegetables, bakery, and meats and fish.
Shoppers Food will face intense competition from other nearby food retailers, Gross admitted.
“We have Mars, Safeway, and Giant right in the neighborhood. Plus there is a WalMart right in the back” of the new Shoppers Food site, he remarked.
“We’ll do well, though. We have tough competition everywhere, but I have a lot of confidence that we’ll be okay,” Gross said.
As an example, the store manager pointed to a section of the international foods aisle devoted to Asian customers.
Market research has shown a high demand locally for Korean and Chinese food specialties, he said, and Shoppers Food intends to cater to those customers.
Gross also said that the didn't want to comment on reports that former owner Superfresh had treated its employees carelessly in the sales process.
About 100 former Ellicott City Superfresh employees were fired by A&P as part of the bankruptcy proceedings.
Shoppers Food has since re-hired about 20 percent are former Superfresh workers, Gross said
Find out what's happening in Ellicott Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
This article has been editied to clarify Gross's comments regarding Superfresh employees.
